Of ends, and of regrets
by Pilotofmymind
Summary: Of ends, and of regrets, there are things we view in our pasts as mistakes. And there are things we view as turning points. And there are things in our pasts that we all wish we could change... Sort of an epilogue for Chronicles of Rotten.


Robbie had never experienced anything like the thrill he got when he got up on stage, in front of all of those people. Hundreds of faces turned up toward him. It gave him an adrenaline rush he couldn't get anywhere else. And he loved it. His father had been right, singing Opera had been the best choice for him. His father was right about nearly everything.

But one thing.

The reaction his best friend would have to him dating a girl that they both liked. He had expected something violent. Something different. But what he got, after Sportacus found out that he had been dating Stephanie for the past month and a half, was not at all what he had expected. Sportacus had cried, and talked to him, and then he had kissed him, and turned around and run off. And Robbie hadn't yet figured out why that kiss had held just as much, if not more warmth as the kisses he got from Stephanie...

But the next morning when Stephanie called to tall him Sportacus had come to see her, and had confessed his love to her, Robbie had only been able to say that he understood.

And yet, he hadn't really understood.

And he hadn't understood why Sportacus had never brought the kiss up.

And though he was best man at the wedding, and he is still friends with them to this day, part of him is still mad at them.

And yet he misses them, while he is on tour. Though he knows now that he would never have been able to keep Stephanie, or even Sportacus. Because he is married to his work, it is time consuming, and it makes him happy, it makes him feel things that another human cannot. It makes him lustful, and it makes him angry, and it even makes him sad, all at the same time.

And yet he'll talk to them tonight on the phone, and he'll talk to their two beautiful children, Gabriel and Serena. One of which will grow up to be Number 11, and Robbie can't believe that Sportacus would allow his child to do that.

Yet he doesn't say anything, because it's what his family does, yet he doesn't know how Stephanie will take it when her child has to leave to train to become 11...

He just doesn't understand it.

As Stephanie watches Sportacus play with the children outside she places her hand on her stomach, he hasn't noticed it yet, and she doesn't know how she'll tell him, yet she knows that when she finally does he'll love this one just as much as much as he loves their first two, and she knows he'll be happy, but she can't help but be a little scared, they're not exactly doing well. And the house has only two bedrooms, and the children are growing very quickly, yet she can't complain.

She's happy, or at least she lets everybody think that she is. And she loves her husband, and her children, but she's scared. And as she stands there, lost in thought her eyes trained on her husband and children the phone rings, causing her to jump slightly. Sighing she turns around and picks the phone up, "Hello?" she says softly, in a voice as beautiful as an angels, a voice meant to be shared with the world through singing, a voice she keeps in reserve for her children, and husband, and occasionally here friends.

"Stephanie! You know, I don't know why you don't come on tour with me? You have a beautiful voice!"

Stephanie's cheeks flush as she laughs softly, "Oh Robbie. You know I can't. I have my family now. Now, about you young man, where are you?"

Robbie laughed as he shook his head slightly, "Ah Stephanie, you always were the practical one. Out of the whole group, you know?" he asks and she can hear the smile in his voice, "I'm actually on my way back. Should be there in the morning, you know traffic."

:Oh that's fantastic! I can't wait to see you, let me get Sportacus, the kids are going to be really excited!"

"Oh no, I have to go, but before I do I just wanted to know, what size you wearing these days, Sugar? Cause I'm passing through the city, and I feel like a real moron for missing Christmas, and I need everybody's sizes so I can get you guys something!"

"Oh Robbie, that's fine, really. You don't need to do that."

"No, it's fine Steph! Just email me the sizes and everything! I'll see you tomorrow!"

"O-Okay Robbie. Bye-bye..."

"Bye!" Robbie said as he hung up.

Stephanie stood there a moment before she hung up the phone, and she couldn't help but wonder why she felt like she was about to cry. And as she turns around she gives a slight start, seeing Sportacus there, when she hadn't even heard him come in.

"Hey sweetie." he says softly, in a sweet voice, as he steps up to her, kissing her cheek lightly.

"Robbie called." Stephanie says softly, "He said he'll be back in the morning."

"Oh that's great!" Sportacus says, bouncing on the balls of his feet slightly, "The kids really missed him."

"Yeah..." she forces a laugh, vaguely wondering what's wrong with her as she turns to the sink. "I miss him too." she whispers.

Sportacus rubs her back softly, his smile faltering slightly, and as he opens his mouth to speak there's a knock at the door. "...I'll get it." he says softly before walking out of the room.

Stephanie lets out a sigh, deciding to tell him when he comes back in.

As Sportacus re-enters the room, he's carrying a letter, and grinning, and Stephanie doesn't know what he's going to say, "My father is coming to visit!" he says as he holds the letter out to her, but she doesn't move to take it.

"I'm pregnant." she blurts out, as he's sitting down.

Sportacus seems slightly shocked, if only for a second, before springing up and moving over to her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her temple he holds her close, "That's fantastic!"

And as Stephanie wraps her arms around him she closes her eyes, and feels a little guilty, when she pictures Robbie, and part of her wishes that she was holding Robbie. But she isn't willing to admit it.

After Sportacus is finished tucking his children in, and reading them a bedtime story, he steps out into the hallway, and his head is spinning, as he looks to his bedroom door, before turning toward the bathroom doorway,and he's thinking about what Stephanie said. Of course he's happy. But he knows that they're not really financially set to have another child right now. He'll do his best to provide for this one, as he has for the other two, but it's hard right now.

It's hard for him to keep a job. His hero duties interfere with his job. They always have. But he tries his best. Working at night to try and keep the job, but crime doesn't rest. So neither does he.

Though recently he's taken a job that seems not to mind his hero duties, and as a matter of fact encourages it, he's a night time security guard at the mall. But the pay isn't good, just barely enough to get by. And Stephanie has been out of work for awhile. And obviously won't be going back anytime soon. But he doesn't resent the fact that's she's pregnant. He loves it. He loves his children more then anything else in the whole world, and he'll love this one too.

He wanted his family to be perfect, he wanted them to be happy, more then anything else in the world. He wanted things to be perfect like they were in the movies. Like it was a fairy tale. Like things would be happily ever after. But they weren't. And never would be, no matter how hard he tries.

Things were hard. Sportacus had found out quickly that love could not conquer all. That love could not make everything right. And most of all he had found out that it was true that you never forgot your first love, that you never stopped loving that person. That they would always be with you. Especially when they were you and your wife's best friend.

And even though he knew it was wrong sometimes when he held Stephanie he imagined she was Robbie, and he wished more then anything that he could have at least experienced holding Robbie. If only once.

"Sportacus, honey? Are you coming to bed?" Stephanie asked from the bedroom door way.

Sportacus turned to look at her, a smile gracing his lips, as he felt his stomach turn over, she was so beautiful, she deserved so much better then this. She deserved t be loved the way he wanted to love her, and she deserved to be loved the way she needed to be loved. And though he tried as hard as he could to love her, he just couldn't get Robbie out of his mind.

And even though, when he had asked her, before they had married, if she had felt something for Robbie, she had responded that they were only friends, he could see it in her eyes some times, when she looked at him, that she felt the same way he did about Robbie. And that scared him.

Shaking his head slightly he motioned toward the bathroom, "I'm going to shower first." he said softly, leaving out the fact that he was going to pleasure himself first, because she wouldn't understand what he was aroused about. And he didn't want to have to explain it to her.

"Alright, well I'm going to go ahead and go to sleep." Stephanie said as she turned around and went back into the bedroom.

Sportacus sighed heavily as he turned and walked into the bathroom.

Stephanie groaned slightly, as she rolled over face first, her eyes automatically drifting to her alarm clock, wondering why anyone would call at three in the morning, she sighed.

Sportacus yawned slightly as he reached up onto the end table, feeling around slightly, he grabbed the phone and pulled it down to his ear, "Hello?"

"...I..."

The way Robbie was breathing told Sportacus that there was something wrong, as he propped himself up on his elbow he asked softly, "Robbie? Did something happen?"

"Sp-Sportacus... I...I'm sorry. It's late. I...I shouldn't have called." he whispered, his voice thick with grief.

"No, don't be ridiculous. What happened?" he asked as he sat up

"What is it?" Stephanie asked as she sat up slowly.

"F-Furrin just called me..."

"What? Why? What did he say?" Sportacus asked softly.

"O-oh God... My dad... My dad..." Robbie whispered on the other end, his voice barely audible, as he began to cry.

"Oh... Oh Robbie, I'm so sorry." Sportacus whispered.

Stephanie let out a sigh as she wrapped her arms around herself, by the tone in Sportacus's voice she could tell that it was serious.

Sportacus heard Robbie begin to sob on the other end of the phone, "O-Oh God... I.. .I dunno wh-what... I-I d-dunno what t-to do..." he whispered, all the while trying to control his crying.

"Robbie... Robbie listen, Stephanie and will take care of everything. Okay? Just leave it to us. Don't worry about it. We'll take care of everything." Sportacus said softly.

"O-Okay..." Robbie whispered, as he let go of the phone, covering his face he began to sob into his hands.

As Sportacus hung up the phone he couldn't help but wonder why his eyes were burning he was trying so hard not to cry. "Steven... Steven died." he said softly.

"Oh my Gosh... That's horrible! Robbie must be devastated..." Stephanie said softly, before leaning forward and wrapping her arms around Sportacus.

Sportacus reached up and grabbed Stephanie's hand, pressing it lightly. "He is." he whispered.

It took two weeks to arrange everything. And after the funeral they were all sitting in Robbie's empty living room, that seemed lifeless now that Steven wasn't around. And Sportacus was vaguely wondering where his father had gone after the funeral. And Robbie was sitting there, with his eyes on the floor, Stephanie and Sportacus had both agreed that Robbie seemed to have broken after his dad had passed, he was now completely withdrawn, and had barely said three words all morning.

"Mommy?" Gabriel whispered, as he stood in the kitchen doorway, clinging to the door frame.

"Yes, honey?" Stephanie asked softly as she stood up.

"Can we go home now? I'm tried..."

"Me too." Serena chimed in, peeking around her brother.

Stephanie opened her mouth slightly, glancing toward Robbie, and then Sportacus, before back to her children.

"Are you leaving, Stephanie?" Robbie asked softly as he stood up.

"I... I'm not if you want me to stay." Stephanie said softly.

"Honey, if you need to take the kids home, I can stay with Robbie." Sportacus said as he stood up.

"That would be fine." Robbie said softly. "Just wait a moment Stephanie, I mean, don't drive off right away. I have something for you."

"O-Okay..." Stephanie said as she went to pick her son up, while Sportacus got Serena.

After several minutes Robbie walked out of the house, carrying four bags, he motions for Stephanie, who was standing by her car waiting for him, to open the trunk, after she did so he placed the bags inside and closed it.

Robbie stood there for a moment, not moving, and not seeming ready to talk, so Stephanie put her hand on his shoulder and smiled softly at him. Robbie looked up at her and sighed, putting his hand on one side of her face he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "I love you." he whispered against her cheek. Petting her cheek he stood up straight, "You drive carefully tonight, okay? I don't know what I would do if something happened to you, Steph." he said softly.

Stephanie's cheeks flushed, and her gaze dropped to the ground "O-okay..." she whispered, as she quickly stepped away from him, so badly wanting to tell him that she loved him too. Wanting to wrap her arms around him and kiss him, but instead she began to walk to her car door, "Goodnight." she said quickly as she climbed into the car.

"Drive carefully!" He called as he went back to the front door, pausing to watch her drive away. As he re-entered the house he let out a sigh, as he closed the door, and leaned against it, closing his eyes hard he just stood there for a moment. He could feel himself trembling, as he slipped down toward the floor slightly, he could feel all of the strength disappearing out of his body.

"Robbie?" Sportacus asked as he walked out of the kitchen, and began to walk over to Robbie.

"I miss him already, Sportacus." Robbie whispered.

"I know..." Sportacus whispered as he stepped closer.

Robbie held his arms open as tears began to leak out of his eyes, and he stumbled forward, nearly collapsing, and would have, if not for the fact that Sportacus had caught him up in a hug.

Noticing that all of the strength seemed to be seeping out of Robbie as he held him close Sportacus held him closer. "It's okay." he whispered into the other mans ear, as Robbie wrapped his arms around Sportacus.

"N-No it isn't..." Robbie whispered as he clung to Sportacus. Digging his finger nails into Sportcus's back.

"It will be."

"I-I just don't want to have to wait that long..." Robbie muttered as he held Sportacus closer.

"...I know. But it will be okay. We'll be here with you."

"I-I know... I know. B-but I just miss him s-so much... A-And I know th-that i-it's dumb to say, b-but I never expected h-him to die." Robbie whispered, as he began to cry harder.

"...I don't think that's dumb, until right now I never gave a single thought to losing my father." Sportacus said softly.

As Robbie reached up to wipe away his tears he whispered softly, into Sportacus's ear, "I never want to let you go..."

"...For tonight... You don't have to." Sportacus whispered, as he pet Robbie's hair.

"Thanks you." Robbie said softly, as he hugged Sportacus slightly harder.

As Furrin stood in the park looking up at the stars he smiled softly. He would miss Steven. He had missed Steven since he had gone back to his homeland, but he knew that one day he would see him again.

After Robbie had seemingly gotten over the death of his father he went back to work, but always managed to come home and see Stephanie and Sportacus every other month. And before any of the realized it Stephanie was having the baby, and Robbie drove all night to get there to see them in the hospital. And much to his surprise he arrived before the baby was born.

As he stood in the waiting room with Furrin he was slightly awkward, he hadn't been alone with Furrin in years, not since he was a child anyway. And without realizing he was saying it he said something he had wanted to say for years. "...I knew about you and father..." he said, as he raised his cup of coffee to his lips.

Furrin seemed shocked, to say the least. But replied calmly, "Since when?" he asked softly.

"..I think I might have been seventeen."

"...Ah. I see. Well, Robbie, there's something you should understand--"

"You were in love?" Robbie asked turning to face Furrin, "You wanted him more then anything else in the world? And you were willing to risk everything for that?" Robbie asked, with a voice think with passion, of course it would be easy for him to understand that. He felt that way about two people. Two people he couldn't have. Two people who were desperately in love with each other. So he could relate to Furrin, and yet he couldn't find it in his heart to accept it.

"...Yes. Very much so." Furrin said as he folded his arms over his chest. "...I'd been seeing his since... I think it was two months after you moved in." Furrin said sighing as he looked at the floor.

"Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have cared." Robbie said shaking his head slightly.

"...Well, we wanted to. But you didn't seem to be very accepting of new things Robbie, you still don't like me. So what honestly makes you think that you would have accepted it?"

"It would have been different if my father had told me that he loved you--"

"And yet you know that he loved me, but you can't accept it? Why? Because he didn't out and out tell you?"

"Yes! I don't understand why you kept it a secret. That's so... I..." Robbie sighed and shook his head, "...You don't understand."

"No Robbie, you don't understand." Furrin said as he turned to look at the clock once again.

Robbie frowned and shook his head slightly, and waited.

After several hours Sportacus came into the waiting room, beaming with pride. "It's a boy!" He said, literally jumping with joy.

Furrin grinned as he leapt to his feet, followed by Robbie, who stood up slowly, and picked up his jacket, "Well my son! Show us your beautiful new son!" Furrin said as he walked over to Sportacus.

"Come with me." Sportacus said as he led them down the hallway and into Stephanie's room. Once inside Furrin went over to inspect the child, lifting it out of Stephanie's arms he cradled it to his chest.

"He's beautiful Robbie said as he went to sit on the edge of the bed, as he smoothed Stephanie's hair back, out of her face he smiled softly.

"I know." Sportacus said as he sat in the bedside chair, and took Stephanie's hand in between his own.

"Thank you." Stephanie whispered softly.

"...My grandchild. My heir. Eleven." Furrin whispered, as he softly touched the child's face.

Stephanie, Robbie, and Sportacus all locked their eyes onto Furrin, wondering if they had heard him correctly, Robbie's mouth parted slightly, and he seemed to be quite shocked, while Sportacus wore only a look of confusion, and Stephanie didn't really know what to think.

Furrin smiled softly at the baby, as it grabbed his finger, and he kissed it's forehead softly.

"I love you."

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A/N; Sooo every body. An update chapter of Chronicles of Rotten. I wrote a SportacusStephanie fic. Is it okay? I know it's a love triangle, but that was how the fic was supposed to be, this is set when they are around... I dunno 28? something like that. Stephanie and Sportacus's kids are around 5 and 4 I guess. And now newborn :).

I just had to write this. But no worries. I will totally work on my new fic tonight!

Enjoy~


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